Hail, Ohio
- When
- June 17, 7:20 PM EST
- Where
- Ohio County, 1.26 mi ENE of Wheeling
- Measured
- 0.88 in hail
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 40.080, -80.700
Flash Flood and Hail in West Virginia, June 17, 2009
A deep upper trough and low pressure moving across the Ohio Valley pushed warm and humid air northward ahead of a cold front moving east with the surface low. Severe thunderstorms were widespread across eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia, and Garrett county Maryland.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $50,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 6
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
What happened
The episode as NWS PBZ wrote it up.
A deep upper trough and low pressure moving across the Ohio Valley pushed warm and humid air northward ahead of a cold front moving east with the surface low. Severe thunderstorms were widespread across eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia, and Garrett county Maryland. Significant flash flooding occurred over eastern Allegheny and western Westmoreland counties in Pennsylvania with estimated damage of 18 million dollars to public infrastructure and private buildings.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Pittsburgh, PA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 17, 3:19 PM EST, 4 hours 1 minute earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jun 17, 3:19 PM EST, 4 hours 1 minute before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 419 PM EDT WED JUN 17 2009 .SYNOPSIS... A SERIES OF LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS WILL CONTINUE TO GENERATE PERIODS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FOR THE REGION INTO THE WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THURSDAY MORNING/... LOW PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE AN EAST/NORTHEAST TRUNDLE ACROSS OHIO THIS EVENING WITH ASSOCIATED WARM FRONT COMPLETING A LIFT ACROSS THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY. WIDESPREAD RAIN TO THE NORTH OF THE BOUNDARY CONTINUED TO LIFT NORTHWARD AS OF MIDDAY, LEAVING A MOIST BOUNDARY LAYER FOR THIS AFTERNOONS WARMING TO FURTHER DESTABILIZE. WITH UPPER/MID LEVEL TROUGH PROGRESSING ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES/JET STEAK OUT OF THE MIDWEST TO PROVIDE SUPPORT, GOOD SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM CHANCES MAY BE EXPECTED THROUGH THE EVENING...BEST OPPORTUNITY FOR WHICH WILL OCCUR WHERE BETTER INSTABILITY RESIDES. GIVEN SATELLITE PICS OF CLOUD BREAKS AND RESULTANT WARMING TEMPERATURES, THIS INSTABILITY AXIS HAS DEVELOPED OVER EASTERN OHIO TO ABOUT THE WV PANHANDLE. THESE AREAS WILL CONTINUE TO BE MONITORED THROUGH THE EVENING FOR ADDITIONAL CONVECTIVE INITIATION. SEVERE THREAT CONTINUES WITH HEALTHY DEEP LAYER SHEAR PROFILE WITH A CROSSING JET STREAK. SHOULD ADDITIONAL STORMS DEVELOP WITH SUFFICIENT UPDRAFT/INSTABILITY, ROTATION/SUPERCELL DEVELOPMENT REMAINS A POSSIBILITY WITH SEVERE HAIL, ALONG WITH AN ISOLATED TORNADO HOWEVER, PRIMARY THREAT WILL BE FROM DAMAGING WIND VIA SHORT BOWING SEGMENTS. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... THE SURFACE LOW IS FORECAST TO TRACK SUFFICIENTLY NORTH AND EAST TONIGHT TO DRAG A WEAK COLD FRONT OVER, AND ACROSS THE REGION ON THURSDAY. HENCE, PRECIP CHANCES HAVE BEEN GRADUALLY DIMINISHED THROUGH THAT TIME PERIOD, BUT NOT ELIMINATED AS PER POTENTIAL FOR NORTHWEST FLOW SHORTWAVE IGNITION OF STORMS ALONG BAROCLINIC ZONE...BETTER CHANCE FOR WHICH APPREARS TO BE ON FRIDAY. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... MODEL PROJECTIONS FOR THE WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK HAVE BEEN PERSISTENT IN FORECASTS OF A TRANSITION TO ANOTHER EASTERN CANADA/CONUS MID/UPPER TROUGH. HOWEVER, QUESTIONS ON AMPLITUDE AND AXIS PLACEMENT REMAIN. FORECAST WILL BE OF A HIGHER AMPLITUDE TROUGH AND WESTWARD PLACEMENT OF THE TROUGH AXIS TO...A DRIER AND COOLER SCENARIO FOR THE UPPER OHIO REGION FOLLOWING PASSAGE OF THE SATURDAY COLD FRONT AND SUNDAY MID LEVEL TROUGH. WILL GO WITH HPC MIDDLE OF THE ROAD FORECAST FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK. AGREE THAT DEEP LOW OFF THE CAROLINAS BY MONDAY AND THEN MOVES NORTHWEST SEEMS A BIT EXTREME FOR LATE JUNE...MAY BE EVEN A BIT EXTREME FOR MID FEBRUARY. WITH THI IN MIND WILL KEEP FORECAST DRY THROUGH DAY 7. && .AVIATION /20Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... MVFR AND ISOLATED IFR CONDTIONS CONTINUED FOR MOST AREA PORTS INTO THE AFTERNOON AS LOW PRESSURE OVER OHIO CONTINUES TO PUSH A WARM FRONT OVER THE REGION. CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO IMPROVE TO VFR AS THE DAY PROGRESSES, BUT AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL WILL HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED BY AVIATORS. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING OVER THE UPPER OHIO LATE TONIGHT AND THURSDAY WILL END THE SHOWERS, BUT THE MOIST SURFACE LAYER MAY HOLD MVFR/IFR STRATUS AND FOG FOR THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF THURSDAY. ADDITIONAL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM PASSAGES FRIDAY INTO SUNDAY WILL YIELD ADDITIONAL MVFR TO IFR EPISODES WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. && .PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...NONE. OH...NONE. PA...NONE. WV...NONE. && 15
Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 17, 3:07 PM EST, 4 hours 13 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 407 PM EDT WED JUN 17 2009 OHZ039-040-048>050-057>059-068-069-PAZ029-031-032-WVZ001>004-012- 021>023-041-182015- TUSCARAWAS-CARROLL-COSHOCTON-HARRISON-JEFFERSON OH-MUSKINGUM- GUERNSEY-BELMONT-NOBLE-MONROE-WASHINGTON-GREENE-FAYETTE-HANCOCK- BROOKE-OHIO-MARSHALL-WETZEL-MARION-MONONGALIA-PRESTON-TUCKER- 407 PM EDT WED JUN 17 2009 ...TORNADO WATCH 442 IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL OHIO...SOUTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA...NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA AND NORTHERN PANHANDLE OF WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. TORNADO WATCH. THERE IS A RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THIS EVENING. WHILE THE PRIMARY SEVERE THREAT WILL COME FROM DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND AN ISOLATED TORNADO ARE POSSIBLE WEATHER HAZARDS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THE SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THURSDAY AND FRIDAY...WITH DAMAGING WIND STILL THE PRIMARY HAZARD. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. MDZ001-OHZ041-PAZ007-013-014-020>023-030-182015- GARRETT-COLUMBIANA-MERCER-LAWRENCE-BUTLER-BEAVER-ALLEGHENY-ARMSTRONG- INDIANA-WESTMORELAND- 407 PM EDT WED JUN 17 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN MARYLAND...EAST CENTRAL OHIO...NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA...SOUTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA AND WEST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THIS EVENING WITH THE PRIMARY SEVERE THREAT COMING FROM DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WIND. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ON FRIDAY WITH DAMAGING WIND AS THE PRIMARY HAZARD. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. PAZ008-009-015-016-182015- VENANGO-FOREST-CLARION-JEFFERSON PA- 407 PM EDT WED JUN 17 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA AND WEST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ON FRIDAY WITH DAMAGING WIND AS THE PRIMARY HAZARD. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. 15
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Jun 17, 5:02 PM EST, 2 hours 18 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 602 PM EDT WED JUN 17 2009 PAZ021-172300- ALLEGHENY PA- 602 PM EDT WED JUN 17 2009 ...THUNDERSTORMS... THUNDERSTORMS TO MOVE THROUGH THE FOLLOWING COUNTY... ALLEGHENY... AT 600 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR IN PITTSBURGH INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS 3 MILES NORTHWEST OF IMPERIAL...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE IMPACTED BY THESE STORMS INCLUDE... IMPERIAL... MOON... OAKDALE... SEWICKLEY... CARNEGIE... FRANKLIN PARK... MCKEES ROCKS... PERRYSVILLE... NORTH SIDE... DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH... SOUTH SIDE... WILKINSBURG... KEEP AN EYE TO THE SKY AND MOVE TO A SAFE PLACE IF THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH. PLEASE REPORT HAIL...STRONG WINDS OR WIND DAMAGE TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY CALLING TOLL FREE...1-877-633-6772. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH. INTENSE LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. IF OUTDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM ISOLATED HIGH OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES. MOVE INDOORS IF POSSIBLE. WHEN INDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS AND AVOID USING TELEPHONES UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. TRY TO UNPLUG UNNECESSARY ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES BEFORE THE THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES. $$ A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EDT WEDNESDAY EVENING FOR EAST CENTRAL OHIO AND SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA AND NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA. &&
Local storm report, Jun 17, 5:12 PM EST, 2 hours 8 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
612 PM EDT WED JUN 17 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0520 PM TSTM WND DMG LEETONIA 40.88N 80.76W
06/17/2009 COLUMBIANA OH EMERGENCY MNGR
TREES AND WIRES BLOWN DOWN.
0520 PM TSTM WND DMG SALEM 40.90N 80.85W
06/17/2009 COLUMBIANA OH EMERGENCY MNGR
TREES AND WIRES BLOWN DOWN.
&&Local storm report, Jun 17, 5:50 PM EST, 1 hour 30 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
650 PM EDT WED JUN 17 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0647 PM HAIL PITTSBURGH 40.44N 79.98W
06/17/2009 E0.88 INCH ALLEGHENY PA TRAINED SPOTTER
MOUNT WASHINGTON
&&Local storm report, Jun 17, 6:58 PM EST, 22 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
758 PM EDT WED JUN 17 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0755 PM HAIL HARRISVILLE 40.18N 80.89W
06/17/2009 E1.00 INCH HARRISON OH TRAINED SPOTTER
&&The radar
The Pittsburgh radar (KPBZ), 65 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:20 UTC.
Event by event
4 hail, 1 flash flood, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Hail, Ohio
- When
- June 17, 7:22 PM EST
- Where
- Ohio County, 1.26 mi ENE of Wheeling
- Measured
- 1.25 in hail
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 40.080, -80.700
Hail, Ohio
- When
- June 17, 7:25 PM EST
- Where
- Ohio County, 1.26 mi ENE of Wheeling
- Measured
- 2 in hail
- Reported by
- Amateur Radio
- Coordinates
- 40.080, -80.700
Flash Flood, Brooke
- When
- June 17, 9:00 PM EST to 11:00 PM EST
- Where
- Brooke County, 2.01 mi SSE of Mc Kinleyville to 0.49 mi S of Mc Kinleyville
- Cause
- Heavy Rain
- Property damage
- $25,000
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
- Coordinates
- 40.224, -80.582
Law enforcement reported Bethany Pike toward Wellsburg closed due to flash flooding.
Hail, Ohio
- When
- June 17, 9:12 PM EST
- Where
- Ohio County, Elm Grove
- Measured
- 0.88 in hail
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 40.050, -80.670
Thunderstorm Wind, Marshall
- When
- June 17, 9:30 PM EST
- Where
- Marshall County, 0.53 mi W of Moundsville
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
- Property damage
- $25,000
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
- Coordinates
- 39.920, -80.740
Law enforcement reported trees down in Moundsville.
What these are
- Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
- Flash Flood
- Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
- Thunderstorm Wind
- Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Heat in Tennessee, June 17 to 28, 2009
- Excessive Heat in Missouri, June 17 to 27, 2009
- Tornadoes and Hail in Nebraska, June 17, 2009
- Tornadoes and Hail in Minnesota, June 17, 2009
- Flash Flood and Hail in Missouri, June 17 to 18, 2009
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Iowa, June 17 to 18, 2009
- Excessive Heat in Illinois, June 17 to 27, 2009
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Pennsylvania, June 17 to 18, 2009
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Georgia, June 17 to 18, 2009
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Tennessee, June 17, 2009
- Tornado and Hail in Nebraska, June 17 to 18, 2009
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Ohio, June 17 to 18, 2009
More
Every storm in West Virginia in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in West Virginia, June 2009
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 179806, 179808, 179809, 179804, 179812, 179816.